How to Start a Coaching or Consulting Business

💡 “If you’ve been through it, figured it out, or leveled up in life — someone out there needs your help getting there too.”

You don’t need a Ph.D., a fancy office, or a magic wand to become a coach or consultant.

What you do need?

A passion for helping others, real-world experience in your zone of genius, and a few tools to turn that into a personalized, high-impact business.

Whether you're a mindset coach, business strategist, marketing consultant, fitness mentor, or relationship whisperer — you can build a thriving business offering 1-on-1 or group guidance to those who need your help most.

Let’s break down how you can start your coaching or consulting biz — and the essential tools that make it all run smooth, even when you're juggling time zones and Zoom links like a pro.

They’re similar, but here’s the cheat sheet:

• Coaching = guiding people to find their own answers through mindset shifts, accountability, and personal growth. Think: life coach, fitness coach, mindset coach.

• Consulting = telling people what to do based on your expertise. You’re the strategist, the fixer, the expert. Think: business consultant, marketing strategist, systems expert.

Bottom line: You’re helping people get results. And they’re willing to pay handsomely for it.

• ✔ High income per client – Charge premium rates for your time and results

• ✔ Personal impact – You change lives, not just bank balances

• ✔ No product or inventory needed – Just your brain and a laptop

• ✔ Flexible delivery – Zoom calls, Voxer access, group sessions, courses

• ✔ Perfect add-on to courses or content businesses

These automate your appointments, so you’re not stuck playing email ping-pong.

• Calendly – Easy to set availability, auto-reminders, and intake forms

• TidyCal – Affordable alternative with lifetime pricing

• Acuity Scheduling – Powerful for multiple services and payment options

You need reliable, high-quality video for 1-on-1 or group sessions.

• Zoom – The gold standard for coaching sessions

• Google Meet – Free and easy to use

• Whereby – Browser-based and no downloads for clients

You’re not running a charity (unless you are… but still, get paid).

• Stripe – Credit card payments, recurring billing

• PayPal – Easy and trusted worldwide

• ThriveCart – Great if you want to offer packages, bundles, or upsells

Want to offer coaching packages or high-ticket consulting? Systeme.io’s checkout tools work perfectly too.

Deliver intake forms, welcome emails, and resources like a total pro.

• Dubsado – Full client onboarding, proposals, contracts, automations

• HoneyBook – Great for service pros with design-friendly UI

• Google Forms or Typeform – Simple, no-cost way to start

Keep track of client progress, notes, and communication.

• Notion – Build a personalized dashboard for each client

• Trello or ClickUp – Create client pipelines and workflows

• Google Docs – Old school but effective for session recaps

Provide homework, replays, and ongoing support like a seasoned pro.

• Loom – Record personalized video updates or tutorials

• Canva – Design worksheets, PDFs, and slide decks

• Systeme.io – Host replays, private group coaching, and deliver digital bonuses

Get clients flowing to your calendar on repeat.

• Instagram or LinkedIn – Pick the platform where your people are

• Lead Magnets – Offer a free checklist or quiz to start the funnel

• Email Marketing – MailerLite, ConvertKit, or Systeme.io built-in tools

• Funnel Builders – Use Systeme.io to set up your "Book a Free Call" page and nurture emails

Here’s your Smart Start game plan to launch your coaching or consulting business:

Step 1: Define Your Niche

Who do you help? What transformation do you provide? Don’t say “everyone.” Pick a specific problem for a specific person.

Step 2: Choose Your Offer

Will it be 1-on-1 coaching? Group programs? VIP intensives? Consulting calls with a strategy doc? Start simple — expand later.

Step 3: Set Up Your Scheduling

Use Calendly or Acuity to let leads book time with you. Sync it to your calendar and send auto-reminders.

Step 4: Create a Client Onboarding Flow

Intake form → welcome email → link to session → bonus worksheet. Make that first impression smooth and impressive.

Step 5: Build Your Sales Funnel

Create a lead magnet or run a “Book a Free Discovery Call” funnel. Use Systeme.io to automate the entire journey.

Step 6: Get Your First Clients

Post case studies. Offer beta coaching spots. Run a challenge or free workshop. Just get talking to real people.

Step 7: Overdeliver and Document Results

Every client success = testimonial gold. Collect them early and often. These will sell your next 10 clients.

Step 8: Scale It Up

Turn your process into a course. Offer group coaching. Automate with evergreen webinars. Stack it like digital Legos.

Your brain. Your story. Your lived experience. That’s the magic.

You don’t need to be a guru. You just need to be a few steps ahead of the person you’re helping.

This is a Smart Start that brings real transformation — for your clients and your bank account.

So if you’ve ever helped someone and thought, “Dang, I could totally get paid for this,”... guess what?

You can. And you should.

Head over to the Smart Start Tools Section to grab everything you need to start your coaching or consulting business — templates, software, and a whole lot of support.